The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-07

mated against us from its very foundation
: Under the system of National Banks th
charter prohibits the lending of money 0
farm mortgages. The result is til
farmer cannot borrow. The Interns
, Revenue System levies direct and onel
Gus tax upon tobacco, and upon fruit an
grain used in the manufacture Of liquor
Monopolles are allowed to flourish. Plow
which cost $3.50 to make are sold at Sl4
Binders that cost from $43 to SAT are solt
+, at 1925 and $3.50. Not long ago | had
proposition from an implement house Il
sell their products at a commission Of 81
per cent. We are shut out from the mar
kets of the world by the tariff laws Aus
tralian beef under the refrigerator process
has driven US from the European centres
These are some of the grievances, nov
what are tho remedies?
egThe first, most prominent-in fact thf
basis of all the others, is thorough, com
pact, determined organ iZation-an organ
lzation that should comprise not merely the
owners of the land, but the laborers, white
and colored, for their prosperity is inter
woven with that of the farmers. When
organization is effected then representation
should follow so that rs per cent Of the
population will not be represented by q
per cent Of the law makers. Then and then
only may you expect relief from some of
| hot Ia ba aartb
then and then only will you be able to enact
a law similar to that of Georgia, and see
the agricultural interest once more occu-
plying its old place in the front.
Col. Beverly closed with recommending
the formation of neghborhood clubs, the
exchange of experiences in planting, the
building of silos, and other practical meas
ures connected with farm work.
He was generously applauded from time
to time during the delivery of his speech
and at it's close.
Calls were made for
CAPT. CHARLES GRATTAN,
OF Augusta, who after presentation by Col
Duke, made the best speech of the day.
|
matter with striking SMILES and several
apt anecdotes, which not only elected
hearty applause. but deserved it.
! Commencing with an allusion to the
Scottish custom of summoning the clans,
he declared that the day and hour had come
when the freemen of Virginia should strike
for their deliverance. No time nor place
could be more appropriate. The ann1ver-
sary Of the declaration of independence
and within sight of the grave of the great
author of that instrument, were happy
conditions for the birth of new spirit of
independence among those who were feel
ing the yoke of tyranny, scarcely less
calling than that of the British sovereign.
The issue is in many respects the same
Then, as now, the contest was against
taxation without representation, and one
hundred years later the children of those
who won that fight dedicate themselves
anew to the principle that found its great
est triumph in the establishment of this
government.
After adverting to the natural advanta-
ges which Virginia presents, the speaker
said that the advice of Horace Greedy, Go
west, young man, contained deal of
sound philosophy. The Interpretation Of
the advice was Go west, in order that the
products of your labor may be nearer the
eastern markets; for the greater the dis
lance the closer the market under the OPP
| Of tba So, fIoo hr,
the railroad companies. God has placed
| us within hundred miles of the sea,
| whilst the railroads have located us beyond
| the Rocky mountains. Not only do the
| railroads reap the benefit from the extor-
| ton practiced upon US, but by discrimina-
| tion they,are thus enabled to offer extra in
| ducements to purchasers of their western
lands. They say to the buyer. purchase of US
and we will market your products for less
! than it would cost if you were in Virginia.
Some of that land has been reclaimed, but
much more of it should revert to the people
Gov. Wilson. of w. Va, has prominently
set forth the practical results of the discrim-
nation of which we complain. He shows
that the cost of freight transportation
from st. Louis to the seaboard is cents
per 100 lbs, whilst the cost from Hinton
| to the same destination-one third the dis
| tance-is 20 cents On the hundred. The
cost of transporting a bushel of wheat
| from st. Louis is 5 cents from Hinton
~ cents. For load of cattle from St.
| Louis 1926 from Hinton $50. Hay from
st. Louis $32 from Hinton $50. The
same relative discrimination as to the other
farm products. Here, then, is the tribute
paid to the railroads. Take Hinton, for
| instance, which is one third of the distance
| from st. Louis. Granting that some diff
| ference should be made between the long
| and short haul, and a fair estimate would
| be one-half of the cost for one-third of the
| distance. On the ordinary products of a
two hundred acre farm, the farmer would
pay railroad tribute of 5000 more than he
should pay. There is where the money
goes.
If the railroad companies can afford to
transport at the long haul rate, then they
could afford to make the short something
like in proportion. If they loose money on
the long haul, then they rob us to make up
the deficiency.
| They tell US that under the Inter States
bill the cost Of transportation has been re-
duced from Is to 20 per cent. Let me tell
you how it operates. Not long ago took
a load of cattle to Waynesboro to be ship
ped to Richmond. The old price was $35.
When I asked the charge, the reply was
$105, / said there must be mistake. The
agent communicated with head quarters,
and reported that he was not in error. l
drove the cattle home, and published a card
in the Richmond papers, setting forth the
facts. Pretty soon the error was discov-
cred and the price reduced to the original
sum, $35. It is still higher than it was
before for stockmen were then given return
passes, and now under the operation of the
new law, they have to pay their fare. This
makes the cost now about IL per cent.
higher than it was before. A commission
merchant told me that having an order
from Hanover county for ton of hay, he
inquired the freight rate from Staunton,
and was told that it would cost SIS. He